As investigations continue into the murder of 29-year-old Mahalakshmi, whose body was found dismembered and stored in a refrigerator in Bengaluru, her estranged husband, Hemant Das, has made shocking allegations. He claims that Mahalakshmi had an extra-marital affair with a man named Ashraf, who may be involved in her brutal murder.
In an interview, Das revealed that Mahalakshmi had been involved with Ashraf, a man from Uttarakhand. He suspects that Ashraf, who works at a barber shop, could be responsible for her death. According to Das, he had already filed a complaint against Ashraf at the Nelamangala Police Station a few months ago due to the affair.
“I suspect a man named Ashraf. I had previously lodged a complaint against him, and after that, he was told to stay away from Bengaluru. But I don’t know where they might have gone after that,” Das said.
Who Is Ashraf?
Das stated that he became aware of his wife’s affair in April or May 2023. He added, “It wasn’t a suspicion; I knew for certain about the relationship. Mahalakshmi hadn’t told me anything, and we weren’t in constant touch.”
Das, who works at a mobile phone shop, also mentioned that he had not seen his wife for about a month, last meeting her 25–30 days before her death when she visited him at his shop.
Mahalakshmi Filed a Case Against Her Husband
Police from the Nelamangala Station confirmed that Mahalakshmi had earlier lodged a complaint against Das in February, accusing him of assault.
Case Echoes the Shraddha Walkar Murder
Mahalakshmi’s gruesome murder has drawn parallels to the infamous Shraddha Walkar case. In May 2022, Shraddha was allegedly strangled and dismembered by her live-in partner in Delhi, with her body chopped into 35 pieces and stored in a refrigerator.
Mahalakshmi’s body, cut into over 50 pieces, was recovered from her flat in Bengaluru’s Vyalikaval area on September 22. The Bengaluru Police are actively pursuing the case and have identified a prime suspect, though they have yet to arrest him.
Prime Suspect Identified
On September 23, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda confirmed that a suspect had been identified, though the police are withholding further details to avoid compromising the investigation.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara also revealed that a suspect, reportedly from West Bengal, is being closely monitored, but more evidence is needed to confirm their involvement.
Mahalakshmi and Das’s Separation
Mahalakshmi and Das had been married for six years and have a daughter. The couple had separated about nine months ago due to domestic issues, and during this time, Mahalakshmi had reportedly lost contact with Das. Initially, their daughter lived with Mahalakshmi, but later she moved in with Das.
Mahalakshmi had not been in touch with her family since September 4, which raised suspicions before her body was discovered.
With inputs from agencies.
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